Marco Rubio is clearly terrified of Val Demings.
How do we know?
Because he just released a vile attack ad against her, leaning into the “angry Black woman” narrative by setting Demings against an ominous dark backdrop with thunder and lightning crackling while painting her out to seem like a “radical” leftist constantly screaming about things like trans athletes and gender identity.
How about we take this to the next level?
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“Demings even voted to allow transgender youth sports and teaching radical gender identity without parental consent,” the narrator warns.
(Fact check: Demings, who is challenging Rubio for his U.S. Senate seat, did vote for legislation that supported trans athletes, but it didn’t address school curriculum.)
“I’m Marco Rubio and I approved of this message,” Little Marco can be heard saying at the end of the 30-second spot.
The ad comes two weeks after a new Civiqs poll found Demings only 2 points behind Rubio. Among likely Florida voters, 49% expressed support for him, compared to 47% who support for her, with a 4.5% margin of error.
The race is tighter than anyone was expecting when Demings first announced her candidacy in June 2021. She has also been outpacing Rubio when it comes to fundraising, so far bringing in over $47 million in campaign donations, compared to his $29 million.
Having Demings in the U.S. Senate would not only be a victory for Democrats, it would be a victory for LGBTQ people.
In 2019, she co-sponsored the Equality Act, saying in a tweet, “Our past is so ugly in this area. We should all be trying to make it right. The #EqualityAct will protect #LGBTQ people from discrimination in housing, employment, education, and more.”
And in 2018, she gave a truly inspiring speech at the HRC’s annual Time to Thrive Youth Conference, where she took the room to church as she spoke about the importance of celebrating our authentic selves.
Rubio, on the other hand, is about as antigay as they come.
In June, he voted against codifying same-sex marriage into federal law. He also opposes non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people as well as gender neutral bathrooms. And he voted against Pete Buttigieg being the first out Secretary of Transportation and Rachel Levin being the first openly trans assistant secretary for health. Oh, and he has a 0% rating with the HRC.
Observant
Well that’s the most sickeningly cynical thing I’ve seen in a while. 403 years and counting, Marco.
dbmcvey
Little Marco. Started out thristy and just kept getting worse.
Kangol2
With this ad Rubio just proves again how phony, cynical and disgusting he is. Florida voters in general, you can do better, so vote for Demings. Florida LGBTQ voters, please do better and vote for Demings!
James
The comments to his obituary will be ruthlessly hateful and Rubio deserves it.
cuteguy
Let’s hope SHE wins but the dumb Cubans primarily in south Florida will vote for him. Let’s hope the governor throws them on a plane to Martha’s Vineyard so lil Marco loses. It’s not like he works anyways, he had the poorest attendance record in the Senate. What is seriously wrong with Florida? First Deathsantis gets in a fight with Mickey Mouse and then this garbage. Please redeem yourself Florida and vote Democrat
Doug
“Radical Gender Identity?” Is this a new Republican term? How does it differ from just plain “gender Identity?”
johncp56
To bad Rubio is a homophobic, the guy is kind of a hot-looking bottom bitch